"Darkness is one of the ninja's most formidable weapons."
The first ninja were members of a clan in feudal Japan in the
16th. Century. They thought it be necessary to train under
Martial Arts, sabotage, assassination, and espionage for
security and protection of themselves and their family.
To become a ninja, they had to dedicate their whole lives to the
art of Ninjutsu(or in it's higher-power state, "Ninpo").They
weren't even aloud to reveal their name. To secure their
identity, they wore a black uniform which originated partly
from Martial Arts and the idea of the traditional outfit of being
black originated from theater. The prop changers wore all
black in order not to be seen when changing props in the
midst of a play. The(Shinobi Shozoku) uniform consisted of a trousers that double-tied at the waist, knees and ankles, jacket with overlapping lappels that tucked into the trousers consisting of a hidden shuriken pocket, split-toed tabi boots, mask & hood to cover the face, Fore-arm and hand gauntlets, and a black belt.
The ninja favored the flat pointy edged throwing star called the
"Hira Shuriken."
The ninja were outlawed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th.
Century, but has revived since the early 1950's.
The ninja had to conceal or disguise his house in order for no one to know that he was a ninja. These disguised houses are referred to as Ninja Houses. These houses had special security systems to alert the owner on case of an itruder. There would be storaging for weapons, written messages, secret passageways,and ladders or tunnels to escape from an intruder or to get from room to room. These were built secretly and so cleverly that the house would be mistaken for an ordinary farm house. The ninja could create illusions that hid entire rooms or doorways. The ninja house was built to be the extreme sanctuary.
The Fists of a Ninja:
Shikan-ken(Extend knuckle fist)
This fist is used against hard, brad surfaces of bone structure.
The longest fingers are straightened and bent at the middle
knuckle with the tip of the fingers curling under and the thumb
extended forward.
Fudo-ken(clenched fist)
This fist can be used from many different angles. It is used
against a variety of targets but is especially effective against
areas of the body in which the edges of the bone structure are
accessible.
Boshi-ken(Thumb drive fist)
This fist is used against semisoft targets mostly muscle covered
bone structure. It is good for attacking nerve centers with
precision.
Shuto(Sword-hand)
This isn't really a fist but is a very important striking weapon.
The lower outside edge of the palm can be used for striking at
the neck, joints, or limbs. The planes of the palm & phalanges
(fingers) are formed at a 45 degree angle, the thumb is clamped
at the base of the forefinger.